Garment supporter



Nov. 12, 1957 c. J. CANTELLO GARMENT SUPPORTER Fil e d Feb. 10. 1955 aarl-cfcanzello ATTORNEYS United States Patent M GARMENT SUPPORTER can J. Cantello, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application February 10, 1955, Serial No. 487,333

4 Claims. (Cl. 24-247) This invention relates to garment supporters, and more specifically, the invention pertains to means for retaining and supporting such garments as stockings and socks.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide means of the type described which includes a clasp for'use with women sundergarments, such as corsets and girdles, the clasp being relatively thin so as not to appear through the outer clothing.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hose, stocking or sock supporting clasp which is reliable in use and which will not damage the fabric to which it is attached.

A further object of this invention is to provide a hose supporting and retaining clasp which is inexpensive to manufacture, non-complex in construction and assembly, and durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the instant invention will become more evident from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a garment sup porter and retainer clasp constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the clasp taken on the vertical plane of line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail cross-sectional view taken on the horizontal plane of line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail cross-sectional view taken on the horizontal plane of line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the clasp as constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of this invention.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing, reference numeral designates, in general, a garment supporting and retaining clasp constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention. As illustrated therein the clasp 10 is seen to comprise a vertically elongated frame having a substantially circular transverse crosssectional configuration. The frame includes a length of wire bent centrally of its length to form a substantially U-shaped loop at the lower end thereof having a bight 12 and upwardly extending oppositely disposed, spaced and substantially parallel arms 14, 16. The arms 14, 16 are bent laterally away from each other to provide off-set elements 18, 20 which continue upwardly in the members 22, 24. These latter members while diverging at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the clasp 10 do so at a smaller angle than the angle of inclination of the elements 18, 20 with respect thereto. The upper ends of the members 22, 24 connect with the lower end of a pair of sinuous sections 26, 28 which include a pair of confronting loops 30, 32. The sinuous sections 26, 28 have the upper ends thereof bent laterally and inwardly toward each other to form a pair of coaxially aligned cross-bars 34, 36 having confronting adjacent 2,812,566 Patented Nov. 12, 1957 free ends disposed in proximity with respect to each other. The cross-arms are normally positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the clasp 10. A sleeve 38 surrounds a major portion of the cross-bars 34, 36 and extends across the space between the free ends thereof. 7

A conventional garter strap 40 formed of elastic material is looped around the sleeve 38 as at 42. Conventional length adjusting means 44 is carried by the strap 40, and the latter is connected at its upper end to a womans corset, girdle, or other similar undergarments, not shown. 7

An elongated substantially rectangular plate 46 has longitudinally extending centrally positioned tabs 48, 50. The plate is positioned between the loops 30, 32 and the tabs 48 and 50 are bent around the adjacent bight portions thereof.

Intermediate the ends of the plate 46 an elongated tongue 52 is secured in a depressed portion 53 thereof by means of the grommet 54. Intermediate the ends of the tongue and adjacent the lower end thereof, the opposite edges of the tongue 52 are formed with notches 56 and 58, respectively. The lower end of the tongue 52 as well as the notches 56, 58 are sheathed at 60 in an elastic material such as, for example, rubber.

The width of the lower end of the tongue 52 together with its sheathing 60 is slightly wider than the dimension between the arms 14 and 16, and the tongue 52 is of such length as to project downwardly slightly below the upper edge of the bight 12. However, due to the resilience of the wire frame and the sheathing 60, the lower end of the tongue 52 may be manually operated to slide thereby to pass to opposite sides of the clasp 10.

The plate 46 and the tabs 48 and 50 prevent the side members of the frame from inadvertent lateral movement toward and away from each other.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, elements thereof corresponding to elements in the above described form of the invention have been ascribed the same reference numerals to which a lower case letter a has been added.

A substantially rectangular plate is disposed on one side of the clasp 10 adjacent loops 30a, 32a and is provided with longitudinally extending centrally positioned tabs 72, 74. The tabs 72, 74 are bent around the loops 30a and 32a securing the plate thereto. The upper end of the plate 70 is cut out at its corners 76, 78 and is reverted at 80 over the upper end of the tongue 52a. The plate 70 serves the same functions as the plate 46.

In both embodiments of this invention the operation of the clasp is identical and only that of the first will be described.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, the clasp 10 is shown as being attached to the marginal edge of the upper end of a stocking 82. Before reaching the hose supporting and retaining position shown in Figures 1 and 2 the tongue 52 was disposed on the opposite side of the clasp (reference being made to Figure 2). With the tongue in this position the operator bends the tongue away from the bight 12 and the upper end of the hose 82 is inserted between the arms 14, 16, the bight 12 and the lower sheathed end 60 of the tongue 52. The tongue 52 and the adjacent portion of the hose is then pressed laterally to the left, as viewed in Figure 2, and then snapped through the arms 14, 16 and the bight 12.

The spring tongue 52, being biased for movement toward the right (with respect to Figure 2) constantly tends to clamp the marginal edge of the stocking 82 between the lower encased end 60 thereof and the arms 14, 16 and their connecting bight 12.

To disconnect the stocking from the clasp 10 the tongue is sprung through the frame in the opposite direction.

Having described and illustrated two embodiments of this invention in detail, it is to be understood that the same are offered merely by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A clasp comprising a U-shaped member having spaced apart arms, laterally outwardly bent extensions integrally formed on said arms, elongated diverging members integrally carried by said extensions, sinuous sections integrally carried by said diverging members, cross arms integrally carried by said sinuous sections in axially aligned relation to each other with the free ends disposed in confronting relation, a. tubular sleeve mounted for rotation on said cross arm free ends, a substantially rectangular plate disposed between said sinuous sections, a lug projecting from each end of said plate encircling an adjacent loop of said sinuous sections, and a resilient tongue having one end thereof secured to said plate, said tongue having a length so as to extend beyond the inner edge of the bight of said U-shaped member and a width slightly greater than the distance between said arms of said U-shaped member whereby due to the resiliency of said tongue the free end thereof is adapted for snap sliding movement through said U-shaped member to alternate sides thereof forming therewith a clasp for engaging and holding soft flexible material.

2. A clasp as defined in claim 1, said plate having a depressed central portion formed therein, said one end of said tongue being positioned in said depressed portion, and a grommet securing said one end of said tongue to said depressed portion of said plate.

3. A clasp as defined in claim 2, and the other end of said tongue having a sheathing formed of plastic material.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plate is provided with a reverted portion arranged in overlying relation to the end of said tongue secured to said plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 552,214 Warner Dec. 31, 1895 543,277 Warner July 23, 1895 626,845 Soady June 13, 1899 749,145 Andresen Jan. 12, 1904 975,102 Zeugschmidt Nov. 8, 1910 2,046,771 Cook July 7, 1936 2,050,189 Le Page Aug. 4, 1936 2,098,821 Cook Nov. 9, 1937 

